Brandom Gengelbach named president of Fort Worth Chamber

Archived Content
Information and links provided may no longer be accurate.

Brandom Gengelbach

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce announced that Brandom Gengelbach, executive vice president of the Chamber, has been named president.

Bill Thornton, who recently celebrated his 30th year with the Chamber, announced his retirement effective July 7, 2020. He has been in the CEO/president role since 2000 after serving in economic development since 1989. Gengelbach came to the Chamber as executive vice president of economic development in November 2016.

“Brandom has been leading the Fortify 2018-2021 strategic plan literally since the day he arrived in Fort Worth and participated in a board retreat where the plan was born,” said Lonnie Nicholson, chairman of the Chamber Board and CEO of EECU. “His 18 years of experience with numerous chambers and the strong community relationships he has forged in the Fort Worth region have prepared him to take on this role.”

“I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the Chamber and work alongside Fort Worth business leaders and the Fort Worth community,” Gengelbach said. “Last year, Fort Worth was one of the top three fastest-growing cities in the U.S. I look forward to continuing that momentum and Fortifying Fort Worth.”

Before coming to Fort Worth, Gengelbach was president of the public-private Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance. He re-energized the Columbia, Tenn.-based organization, doubling membership while leading a three-year effort that brought 2,300 jobs to the county, $158 million in capital investment and a reduction in unemployment from 14% to less than 8%.

Gengelbach’s career included work in organizational development and corporate partnerships for the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and economic development for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Previously, he served Brisbane Marketing, the official marketing authority for the Greater Brisbane, Australia, region after taking a sabbatical to Central and South America to learn Spanish.

Gengelbach grew up in Houston and the Plano-Addison area. He holds an MBA from the University of Southampton, near London, where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. He received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.